Thesaurus results for BILKING

bilking

verb

present participle of bilk

as in cheating

to rob by the use of trickery or threats an investigation revealed that the garage had been bilking motorists for repairs that had never been made

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of bilking Sophisticated online fraud schemes, operating from industrial-scale scam centers in Southeast Asia, are bilking Americans out of billions of dollars each year. — Editorial Board, Washington Post, 8 Aug. 2026 Through letters, Ulisses charms lonely women, bilking them of money and possessions. — Hamilton Cain, Time, 7 July 2026 Elsaid is accused of bilking the medical assistance program out of over $182,000, while Agwa is accused of swindling over $94,000 from the program. — Riley Moser, CBS News, 23 June 2026 In 2019, a couple was charged with embezzlement and exploiting the elderly for bilking buyers in six Western North Carolina counties out of millions of dollars for log homes. — Amber Gaudet, Charlotte Observer, 14 May 2026 Murdaugh, 57, will remain in prison, however, after being sentenced on dozens of state and federal charges for bilking millions from his former law firm and clients for more than a decade. — Pilar Melendez, NBC news, 14 May 2026 Yassin and Stevens are the first drivers to face any criminal repercussions for allegedly bilking the program. — Seth Klamann, Denver Post, 11 Feb. 2026 Former Jackson Health Foundation COO Charmaine Gatlin pled guilty to bilking millions in charity funds. — Jay Weaver, Miami Herald, 15 Dec. 2025 Holmes was convicted in 2022 of four counts of felony fraud for bilking investors in her now-defunct Palo Alto blood-testing startup out of hundreds of millions of dollars via false claims about the technology. — Ethan Baron, Mercury News, 3 Dec. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for bilking

Verb

With all respect to West’s previous cheating-on-television canon, War might be his finest adulterous work.

— Elise Taylor, Vanity Fair, 24 Oct. 2026
Wood was vindicated three years later, when a league investigation revealed the Astros had been cheating in 2017, stealing signs from a television monitor next to the dugout and relaying them to batters by banging on trash cans.

— Bill Shaikin, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of cheating

Verb

The remarks followed the release of strong quarterly results, with revenue and earnings beating analysts’ expectations despite a 6% downturn in revenue due to pressure squeezing all broadband purveyors.

— Dade Hayes, Deadline, 22 Oct. 2026
Fuel expenses are squeezing daily household budgets and tightening cash flow toward the end of the month, with reports indicating a growing number of French employees are requesting payroll advances to manage month end expenses.

— , CNBC, 19 Oct. 2026

Definition of squeezing

Verb

That urgency has marked Holden’s prolific output—especially the thrilling first installment of his Supreme Magnetic series in 2025 and 2022’s Joe Frog—as the Harlem rapper uses his street-hustling past to paint an autobiographical portrait.

— Matthew Ritchie, Pitchfork, 15 Oct. 2026
The 30-second teaser sees Jackson hustling around town, making money and recruiting his team of crooks.

— Brayden Garcia, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of hustling

Verb

Getting up from their seats backstage at Bear Shadow, Pandolfi and Falco head over to meet up with the other three Dusters who are plucking a few notes on their instruments under a large maple tree behind the stage.

— Garret K. Woodward, Rolling Stone, 20 Oct. 2026
Upending global trade, plucking a dictator out of Caracas, escalating to full-on war with Iran, shredding alliances, courting despots — the major twists and turns of this administration never end.

— Kate Andrews, Washington Post, 17 Oct. 2026

Definition of plucking

Verb

Continue reading … CROSSING THE AISLE — Manchin delivers stinging rebuke to Schumer with surprise Senate campaign stop.

— , FOXNews.com, 20 Oct. 2026
That money has been transformed into frequent online and television ads either stinging or lauding the two candidates.

— John Aguilar, Denver Post, 7 Oct. 2026

Definition of stinging

Verb

Unlike MacKay’s Ferrars, seemingly the more loyal and irreproachable type, both men end up screwing over the Dashwoods in their own ways.

— Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 13 Oct. 2026
In a video from March 4, 2019, her co-worker David Xu can be seen approaching her desk, pouring a substance into the bottle, screwing the lid back on and quickly walking away.

— Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of screwing

Verb

Evans, 34, comes from a wealthy San Diego hotel family and stood by Holmes as her blood-testing startup Theranos collapsed and she was convicted in 2022 of defrauding investors.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 20 Oct. 2026
Holmes was about to begin an 11-year sentence at a federal prison in Bryan, Texas, for defrauding investors in her blood-testing company, Theranos, of hundreds of millions of dollars.

— Alex Barasch, Vulture, 19 Oct. 2026

Definition of defrauding

Verb

The automaker just cut the high end of its forecast and saw its share price drop, even while beating expectations for the quarter.

— Emma Hinchliffe, Fortune, 20 Oct. 2026
The Dodgers-Yankees series lasted five games, and the Dodgers beat up on the Yankees when the Yankees weren’t beating themselves.

— Bill Shaikin, Los Angeles Times, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of beating

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“Bilking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bilking. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of bilking

verb

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